Emmanouel Pishas begins accepting recyclables for charity despite legal battle against his proposed depot
A recycling depot at the centre of an ongoing legal battle to develop a recycling centre, has begun taking bottle and can donations for charity.
North & North East
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A landowner at the centre of a legal battle over his proposed recycling depot has begun collecting bottles and cans as charity donations.
It is understood after initially accepting donations to the RSPCA from Mr Pishas’s site, the charity asked him to stop taking donations in its name after it became aware of the ongoing legal battle.
Mr Pishas is now accepting recyclables as donations to children’s charity Variety, after 1300 Koalas also asked he not collect donations in its name, also due to the ongoing legal dispute.
Mr Pishas attracted the ire of residents when he applied to start a recycling depot at his North East Rd property, with concerns the site would be noisy, smelly and cause congestion.
Last year Mr Pishas took aim at Tea Tree Gully Council, which is appealing the State Planning Commission’s approval, by plastering a series of spray-painted messages at the site.
Community member Rose Moreton-Hall strongly opposes Mr Pishas’ plan,
“My question is what’s he gonna do with it? Is he going to collect all these bottles and cans for three months because he can’t process them? The court case is in June,” Ms Moreton-Hall said.
Along with Mr Pishas, Ms Moreton-Hall gave a deputation to Tea Tree Gully Council’s February meeting to voice community concerns.
“The property owner appears to have waged a smear campaign against anybody who dares to oppose his venture,” Ms Moreton-Hall told the meeting.
“He has taken to social media three times with live interviews to run a narrative of derogatory and, what I believe in part to be, misleading information.”
At the council meeting Mr Pishas said council’s concerns were unjustified and asked it to consider his business interests.
He said embattled mayor Kevin Knight visited the depot.
“The Mayor came down, I showed him the site. It’s a small minority that are complaining,” Mr Pishas said.
“We have over 400 signatures in support of us. I'm just standing up for my right to operate a business.
“It will not be a dump, I guarantee you. I’ve spent thousands of dollars. Does that not prove something?”
Mr Pishas has claimed the legal action would cost the community up to $250,000.
A council spokesman said it had spent $14,000 on the action thus far.
“When I say up to $250,000, it’s depending on how far they travel in court,” Mr Pishas said.
“If you read the sign carefully it says it’s costing ratepayers and taxpayers money.
“Taxpayers are missing out, because if I’m making a loss I’m not paying tax.”
On Thursday Mr Pishas said he started taking bottles and cans in the midst of the legal challenge to help customers of the existing petrol station.
“I started taking the bottles because I get a lot of people asking when am I going to start up,” he said.
“They tell me they feel guilty throwing them in the yellow bins.
“We’re allowing them to put them in the bins, and when we get approval we’ll process them.”
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